MARSHALL, Mich. — A group pushing back against Ford Motor Company's electric vehicle battery plant coming to Marshall is saying the city council ruled a petition to bring the rezoning to a city-wide vote had insufficient signatures.
The project is centered around land for the Ford BlueOval Battery Park which involves rezoning 700 acres of the site into an industrial and manufacturing zone.
The group "Committee for Marshall — Not the Megasite" started collecting signatures the first week of May.
A spokesperson for the group said they turned in 810 signatures by May 30. The petition needed signatures from 10% of Marshall residents, which comes to 580 signatures.
The city of Marshall says only 136 of those signatures were valid.
READ: Marshall group nets over 800 signatures for city-wide vote on battery plant rezoning
"Committee for Marshall — Not the Megasite" said they received a letter from the city manager telling them not enough of the signatures were valid, adding only members of the committee were supposed to circulate and submit petitions, and appropriation included in the ordinance disqualifies any referendum on it.
Read a copy of the letter here:
Referendum petition certification of insufficiency by WXMI on Scribd
The group said they believe this reasoning is not valid and plan to appeal the clerk's decision.
READ: Marshall residents create petition for city-wide vote on battery plant rezoning
In the past when FOX 17 has spoken to those against the plant, many have said their main issue is where the plant is located. They said they would like to see that land used for something good for the community.
READ: Community members share battery plant concerns with Marshall city council
Those backing the plant said it would bring 2,500 jobs to American workers.
“The BlueOval Battery Park Michigan project enjoys widespread public support,” said Choose Marshall CEO James Durian. “With this petition drive now rejected, we can focus on the exciting work ahead of creating local jobs for people today and long into the future so young people in our community won’t have to move away from the Marshall area to find a career," he said.
Ford Motor Company has stated it hopes to start production at the estimated $3.5 billion facility by 2026.
